Question: Are waste-to-energy facilities safe for the environment? Answer:Yes.Waste-to-energy facilities produce electricity with “less environmental impact than almost any other source of electricity,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. America’s waste-to-energy facilities today meet some of the most stringent environmental standards in the world and employ the most advanced emissions control equipment available including scrubbers to control acid gas, fabric filters to control particulate, selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) to control nitrogen oxides, and carbon injection to control mercury and organic emissions.

Question: Is waste-to-energy a renewable energy source?Answer:Yes.Waste-to-energy is renewable because its fuel source---garbage---is sustainable and non-depletable. According to the U.S. EPA, waste-to-energy is a “clean, reliable, renewable source of energy.” In addition, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus bill), the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Federal Power Act, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, the Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s regulations, twenty-four states and the District of Columbia all recognize waste-to-energy power as renewable.

Click here to learn more about waste-to-energy as a renewable energy source.

Question: Is the burning of garbage in a waste-to-energy plant dangerous for those who live nearby?Answer: No. Modern waste-to-energy facilities are subject to comprehensive health risk assessments that repeatedly show that waste-to-energy is safe and effective. The National Research Council wrote in its study that today’s waste-to-energy facilities are designed and operated to produce nearly complete combustion of waste and emit low amounts of pollutants. Waste-to-energy destroys pathogens, organics, and other disease-bearing material in trash. Trash coming into a waste-to-energy facility is handled in enclosed tipping halls that are maintained under negative pressure to pull air directly into the boilers and destroy any odors.

Question: Is the ash from waste-to-energy plants safe?Answer:Yes,waste-to-energy ash is safe. Ash residue from waste-to-energy facilities is tested in accordance with strict state and federal leaching tests and is consistently shown to be safe for land disposal and reuse. Waste-to-energy reduces the volume of trash by about 90%, resulting in a 90% decrease in the amount of land required for garbage disposal. Ash also exhibits concrete-like properties causing it to harden once it is placed and compacted in a landfill, reducing the potential for rainwater to leach contaminants from ash landfills into the ground.

Click here to learn more about the compatibility of waste-to-energy and recycling.

Question: Are waste-to-energy facilities safe for their employees?Answer: Yes. Waste-to-enegy facilities place the highest priority on worker safety. The work of the Energy Recovery Council and its members in cooperative programs with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a testament to the focus this industry places promoting workplace health and safety.

To learn about more about Waste-to-Energy Health and Safety, click here.

To see a list of facilities that have earned distinction through OSHA's cooperative programs, click here.

Question: Do waste-to-energy facilities put people to work?Answer: Absolutely. Nationwide, the waste-to-energy sector employs approximately 7,000 Americans. Moreover, the 86 plants throughout the United States have allowed municipalities to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and the amount of waste sent to landfills, while also benefiting the communities financially. The Solid Waste Association of North America has published on the examples of economic success achieved by communities.